Sue Bolton, Melbourne
"The Victorian branch of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union has decided that there should be another national day of action as soon as possible" against the new federal anti-worker laws, AMWU state secretary Dave Oliver told a Broadmeadows public meeting on March 2. The meeting was organised by Hume Community and Union Solidarity.
Oliver added that the AMWU wants to maintain unity with other unions to make it a genuine national mobilisation. He said that at the February 21 ACTU meeting, "The other states were more keen on a marginal seats campaign, which is important, but it's not the only thing we should be doing".
Oliver explained that trades and labour councils from all states except Victoria presented a joint paper to the ACTU meeting proposing not to call another national day of action until November. The representatives of the Victorian Trades Hall Council, the AMWU, and the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union argued that a national mobilisation was needed as soon as possible. AMWU state secretaries have since been discussing the proposal with other unions.
Oliver said that since the massive November 15 union protests, AMWU members have given overwhelming feedback indicating they want another national action.
The meeting also discussed job losses in Melbourne's northern suburbs, which have been hit hard by factory closures and retrenchments. AMWU vehicle division organiser Dave Nunns referred to the long-running dispute at Ballarat University where the National Tertiary Education Union is attempting to stop the introduction of AWAs (individual contracts), explaining that there could be similar battles in the car plants because the government has made subsidies to car companies dependent on the offering of AWAs.
A group of workers from Preston Motors Mitsubishi attended the meeting to explain how their employer is trying to impose a wage freeze.
From Green Left Weekly, March 8, 2006.
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